The Sindh government on Tuesday requested the armed forces to be on high alert for Ashura, and be ready to step in if called due to prevailing law and order situation and threats of security in Karachi.

Sources at the Home Department said that the Sindh Chief Secretary had written a letter to the Karachi

The army would not patrol roads but remain on alert in the district headquarters on both the days.

Earlier, Sindh Minister for Prisons Manzoor Wasan had approved the federal governmentâ€™s decision to deweaponise the country and supported the idea of conducting operations in Karachi.

â€œThere is nothing wrong in conducting operations and deweaponisation of Karachi,â€ he had said, adding that not only the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), but the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) are also in support of such an action.

Wasan, who had also served as Sindh Home Minister, however, ruled out the concerns expressed by MQM Chief Altaf Hussain regarding Karachi operation and said that the action would be taken against criminals, extortionists, land mafia and suspects involved in terrorist activities.

â€œKarachi has become a nursery for the criminals and it is high time to start an operation without any delay,â€ he said.